Is your house a mess?

[laurag]

For the last few weeks I have been feeling so tired and generally crappy that I have done basically nothing around the house. I was looking around this morning and realized this place is a real pit. Dirty dishes in the sink, toys everywhere, piles of laundry. Dd helps alot, but even he can not keep up with the messes I am making. The worst part is - even thought I can see that the place is a mess, I just don't care enough to do anything about it. How is anyone able to keep up on chores while pregnant AND chasing a toddler?

[Pynki]

You got me... How???? I am in the same boat... Everyone wants to keep eating, but nobody is doing the dishes but me... So they are not getting done, and our house is a mess to... I am anxiously hoping for the day when the nausea goes away, and i can get the house back in order...

Warm squishy Feelings....

Dyan

[Luckymomma]

Yep. It's the same all over. I really want to declutter before this baby, but I just don't have the energy. Then I start to think that it's all in my head and I'm just being lazy. Then I feel really miserable and tell myself it's o.k. to let things go a bit, then I get mad at myself, then I start checking into mental health facilities for myself .

I have little flashes of 'feeling o.k.', so I know this morning sickness thing isn't here to stay. My advise is to take it easy, and sit and think about all the things you're going to do the moment you feel better. I'm going to start at the ceiling and work my way down

One of my chief complaints right now, other than never wanting to have to force food down my throat again, is that I can't handle the smell of my armpits. It's not as easy as it sounds. The hormonal change has totally changed my body odor, and I make myself want to hurl. I shower and scrub every morning, apply deodorant through out the day, but every now and then I get a whiff, and *eew*. I haven't used antiperspirant for years, but I'm ready to buy some 'secret' or something very girly smelling. My 'Toms of Maine' just ain't cutting it. It was fun to share that.

[Annais]

And I don't even have the toddler excuse! Our house is such a mess - dog, cat, rabbit hair everywhere; clutter, dirty dishes...ugh, it's really gross. And I was doing so well, too, with the FlyLady and everything!

[Brydean3]

I told dh that I was going too fire the maid, because she is doing such a lousy job! LOL:
My ms is almost gone, but what is making it worse, is that we are moving in 2 weeks. And dh is working over 60hrs. a week, two jobs and so is no help with the packing or cleaning what so ever!!
Calgon take me away!!!

[geogirl]

Yes, it is. Oh wait. Actually it is utter chaos which is covering a mess.

[LunaMoom]

My dh will say things like "don't worry about those dishes,just go rest." But when I get up the dishes are still there. I'd like it if he'd DO something rather than just say it's ok if I don't.It's not ok with me,I want this stuff done!

[Rollermommy]

Feeling crappy here too! I just waddle around the house and want to cry. I can't keep up with the messes and the cooking and the 2 boys (3&4). My dh asked me if I would like to hire a maid for a month till the baby gets here. He was trying to be sweet but ended up sending me into an hour long crying fit

[hawleyclan]

Hi! While the memory of the overwhelming, yucky-can't-moves is still fresh in my mind... and the horrid piles of dishes/laundry/dust...

Now my morning sickness is long gone, and it still feels like an uphill battle... I have resolved to make this weekend the end of my woes and we will have full family housecleaning alert!

Be it by donation, or by trash, I am determined to feel better instead of feeling like a rapidly growing small beluga whale... And noone in my house is going to get out of this early "spring cleaning"...

As for the Maid offer... I say "Take It"!!!!! My husband and I have discussed hiring someone to help clean a couple times a week for the first two weeks after the baby arrives- and for the first time ever I don't care if someone else sees my dirty dishes... I want some Postpartum Pampering... :LOL This is baby number 5, and I've Earned It!!!

It will all come together when that nesting instinct hits with a rage, after the "sickie-yuckies" go... there is hope...

The Lord bless you all!!
Zoie

[karenpl]

Yep, house is a mess, but at least it helps to have older kids around, so I can ask them to keep the floors visible :-) I used to vacuum almost every day though, and now I am happy if I can get the vacuum running once a week.

At least I know I usually start feeling better around 15 or 16 weeks and then the high energy phase of my pregnancy will start. So I am ignoring the mess now and looking forward to the cleaning energy that I know I will get later :-)

Karen

[Stayathomemommy]

Thank goodness there are others like me!!! I love a clean house it feels so good......BUT when you dont feel so good and energy is zero i ignore it. luckily i have a saint of a husband and eventhough this is gross some weeks the dishes dont get done till the weekend when he has time to do them. then he is amazing and washes everything which after a week is every plate and every cup we own. needless to say no one is invited into the house on weeks like that. And my toddler is getting good at picking up all her toys and putting them in her room. her room is a mess but my living room feels livable anyway.

I figure i am not going to have anymore time once the baby comes to do as much house work as i used to so my hubby just has to get used to pulling his weight....or more then his weight at times.

Also Paper plates, paper cups!!! i know its not nice for the environment and seems like a waist of money but some days it makes me so happy to not add to the mess.

[Pynki]

I agree with the paper plates... My dh hates them and says they are just a waste of money, but since he's still not doing a whole lot of dishes i run roughshod over him and tell him tough....

Warm Squishies....

Dyan

[Jennah_Gole]

You guys won't believe this but i have a full time maid and two kids and my house is still always a mess. of course, my sister-in-law lives next door and has five kids and they help in the mess.

i work full time and when i come home, (i am 28-29 weeks prego) I don't feel like doing anything. So you guys don't feel soo bad.

[Pookietooth]

Yes, my place is a mess (and we only have a 500 square foot apartment). It's filthy! DH is actually fairly good about picking up clutter (better than I am, to be honest), but he won't sweep, sponge off counters, and he rarely vacuums. I'm tired, and anyway, I'm trying to avoid bending over and chemicals, so our place is just awful.

And we don't have any other kids!

Jennifer R.
EDD 2/14/03

[Stayathomemommy]

i have a cure

My cure for a messy house is visitors. i sometimes have no motivation to clean so i call someone and invite them over. right now we have family visiting so the house is spottless. i have more energy now in my second trimester so i work at just picking up clutter a few times a day and wash a few dishes when ever one side of the sink is full. its working for now.

[myrrhmaid]

DH has convinced me that paper plates are 'better' than using the water, soap for the dishes!!! It was a stretch of the imagination but under the circumstances I am glad we get some relief from the load. I just make sure their is enough silverware clean! Cheaper than eating out, too! I know it is just a phase & I will be back full steam soon! I also rationalize using paper cause we are cloth diapering & I use cloth napkins & pads. We also recycle-now if I could just get THAT pile out of the house! You're right though- have someone coming over & I get VERY motivated! I'm not plodding through the housework when there's a deadline! I work well under pressure! I'm real sensitive to odors right now too, and between the trash & the compost alone it is keeping me on my toes! I'm getting desensitised to the clutter though. That isn't bugging me as much anymore!

[sea island mama]

One word: BABYSTEPS!

Annais mentioned FlyLady & that's how I cope. Not that my house is ever spotless, but it's sooooo much better than it was! I had a few weeks of what you are feeling at the beginning of this pregnancy & I know what you are going through. If you don't know about it, the web site is www.flylady.net. FLY stands for Finally Loving Yourself & it is about blessing (cleaning) your home because you deserve to live in a clean house. She says "You can do anything for 15 minutes" & encourages you to use a timer to do it. It's amazing how much you can do in that time. Also, if you see something that will take a couple of minutes to do, do it right away instead of letting so much pile up. I know it's hard with a baby, but even having the house presentable once a day is such a great feeling - & so nice to wake up to!
Anyway, just do what you can while you are feeling bad & soon you will be able to jump in & get that place presentable 15 minutes at a time.
Good luck!
Helen

[BirthTender]

stayathomemommy

That's my strategy to get the house cleaned also, but it has to be folks that my husband likes or else he won't help & he won't get after the chidlren to help. karen of BirthTender